Rubber filled oriented polymer composition article

Abstract

Including crosslinked rubber particles in an oriented polymer composition induces cavitation in the oriented polymer composition and can increases the scratch and mar resistance as well as fibrillation resistance.

1 . An oriented polymer composition article comprising a polymer composition that has a softening temperature, crosslinked rubber particles dispersed within the polymer composition and a continuous orientable polymer phase in the polymer composition; wherein the crosslinked rubber particles are non-flowable at the softening point of the polymer composition. 
     
     
         2 . The oriented polymer composition article of  claim 1 , wherein the oriented polymer composition contains void volume sufficient to reduce its density 5 percent or more. 
     
     
         3 . The oriented polymer composition article of  claim 1 , wherein the crosslinked rubber particles contain at least one additive selected from silica and carbon black. 
     
     
         4 . The oriented polymer composition article of  claim 1 , wherein the crosslinked rubber particles are ground up tires. 
     
     
         5 . The oriented polymer composition article of  claim 1 , wherein the crosslinked rubber particles are present at a concentration of 50 weight-percent or less based on polymer composition weight. 
     
     
         6 . The oriented polymer composition article of  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of crosslinked rubber particles is ten weight-percent or more and 50 weight-percent or less based on polymer composition weight. 
     
     
         7 . The oriented polymer composition article of  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of crosslinked rubber particles is 25 weight-percent or more and 40 weight-percent or less based on polymer composition weight. 
     
     
         8 . The oriented polymer composition article of  claim 1 , wherein the rubber particles have a particle size in a range of 10 to 200 mesh. 
     
     
         9 . The orientation polymer composition article of  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of rubber particles is 20 wt % or more and 50% or less and the rubber particles have a particle size of 100 microns or more and 2000 microns or less. 
     
     
         10 . The orientation polymer composition article of  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of rubber particles is 25 wt % or more and 40% or less and the rubber particles have a particle size of 180 microns or more and 600 microns or less. 
     
     
         11 . The oriented polymer composition article of  claim 1 , wherein the continuous orientable polymer phase comprises 80 percent or more by weight propylene-based polymers. 
     
     
         12 . A process for preparing the oriented polymer composition article of  claim 1 , the process comprising the following steps:
 (a) providing a polymer composition that has a softening temperature, a continuous orientable polymer phase and crosslinked rubber particles dispersed within the polymer composition; and   (b) conditioning the polymer composition to a drawing temperature that is below the softening temperature of the polymer composition; and   (c) drawing the polymer composition while initially at the drawing temperature and thereby inducing orientation of polymer chains in the polymer composition to form an oriented polymer composition;   
       wherein the crosslinked rubber particles are non-flowable at the softening temperature of the polymer composition. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein step (c) includes drawing the polymer composition through a solid state drawing die and inducing cavitation within the polymer composition. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the crosslinked rubber particles contain at least one filler selected from silica and carbon black. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the crosslinked rubber particles are ground up tires. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the concentration of crosslinked rubber particles is ten weight-percent or more and 40 weight-percent or less based on polymer composition weight. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the concentration of crosslinked rubber particles is 25 weight-percent or more and 40 weight-percent or less based on polymer composition weight. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the rubber particles have a particle size in a range of 10 to 200 mesh. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the concentration of rubber particles is 20 wt % or more and 50% or less and the rubber particles have a particle size of 100 microns or more and 2000 microns or less. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the continuous orientable polymer phase comprises 80 percent or more by weight propylene-based polymers.